Any Other
by Beezle'sgotthemusic
Summary: "Cooking for her James really? You fell hard and fast."


Any Other

By Beezle

* * *

When they first met it was in a coffee shoppe not all that far from the Weasly's Wizard Wheezes. The meeting was an accident. His shoe laces were untied, he never did tie them in school because it wasn't cool and he'd yet to break the habit. She stepped on them and nearly spilt coffee on him in the process. With some quick wandwork the coffee was back in the cup before she could gasp.

"Merlin, I'm sorry!"

"No, no, it's fine," he had said. Reflecting he should have noticed the way her eyes widened the moment she saw him. He had just turned eighteen however and he was stupid.

She was beautiful: long curly blond hair that hung down her back, a wide smile full of pearly white teeth and her hazel eyes. It drew him in. And then what hooked him was the next words out of her mouth. "You should learn to tie your shoes dip shit."

He intoned, "It's only right that you share a table with me, you did nearly burn me to death."

"You don't have anywhere to go?" she said raising an eyebrow.

As a matter of fact he did, his girlfriend was waiting for him down at the leaky but he didn't give a damn. To his surprise she agreed. As much as he prided himself on being a lady's man this woman was out of his league. "I'm James," he said as he sat down.

"Veelma," she said with a smirk.

It could've easily turned into some awkward exchange right there; it could've easily turned into the typical small talk that one has to force themselves through from time to time. It might've been a "Where'd you go to school?" "What house were you in?" "Parents? Siblings? Favorite colour?" "Lovely weather we're having hmm." That easily could've been the next question out of her mouth, they almost were the next questions out of his.

"Tell me James," she said. "Do you leave your shoes untied just to get the girls?"

It only got better from there, she was intelligent and for once James realized he might not be able to outwit someone, she was coy practically a succubus in his eyes, and by merlin could she carry on a conversation. They flirted, discussed quidditch ("Of course Puddlemere's the best team who in their right mind would root for the Cannons?"), talked about the joke shop just around the corner, declared the audacity of coffee (they both agreed they should be drinking tea), chided the horrid politicians, and spoke of the prophet.

"You'd think they'd realize that _actual _news sells not that rubbish about whose party was the most 'smashing'," he muttered.

"They're only marginally less corrupt than the ministry," she said with a grin.

"The only department that's doing anything in the ministry are the Aurors and then you've got Hermi..."

"Excuse me," she said standing up abruptly holding the long empty coffee cup in her hand. "I'm going to be late," she didn't look too tore up about it.

"Oh, of course, I'm sorry I shouldn't have kept you." James stood up too, they'd been talking for maybe three hours. His girlfriend would be pissed.

As she walked towards the door (he couldn't help but admire her bum) she turned her head slightly over her shoulder and said "I didn't mind."

The bell on the door dinged as she walked out into the street and James watched her until she turned the corner. He didn't realize until he was at his girlfriends flat that he didn't know her last name.

By the second time he'd broken up with his girlfriend, she'd said something about him being detached. When he told his brother Albus couldn't help but grin and say, "About time she broke up with a wanker like you." James had agreed.

At first he didn't recognize Veelma, everyone was crowded around some bloke whose foot had nearly been eaten by a dragon or at least that's what he was telling everyone. James thought it looked like a kelpie bite but he didn't want to ruin the fun. "Hi Tom," James greeted the bartender of the Leaky Cauldron. He had to say it a second time because the old man was going deaf.

She was sitting next to him for about a minute as Tom poured James a glass of Odgen's before she said anything. "Are you old enough to drink that?"

James jumped in surprise. "Blimey! I didn't recognize you, you've cut your hair." It was even with her chin, James didn't know what the haircut was called but he couldn't help but admire it.

"And you haven't," she said glancing up at James locks. He ran his hand nervously through his hair that would never stay flat.

James shrugged, "Cost money and mum absolutely butchers my hair."

"You have your mum cut your hair," She grinned. "I didn't peg you for a family man."

"Sure," James said with another shrug. "Thanks Tom," he said as the bartender handed him the mug. Tom shot him a dirty look most likely because he thought James hadn't thanked him. "And I don't have my mum cut my hair. I had a bald spot because of her once I swear."

"I don't know," she said scrutinizing his face. "I bet you'd look good bald."

"What if I were to shave it all off?"

"Your mum would force you to grow it back."

"How would you know?"

"My mum would."

"You'd go bald?"

"What you don't think I'd look good bald?"

"I'm sure you'd be smashing."

"You say that to all the girls I'm sure."

"What has you convinced girls are after me all the time?"

"I never said girls were into it," she smirked.

"They're into it."

"They let you think they're into it."

"They are simply all over me." James grinned.

Veelma looked at him skeptically for a moment before saying, "Cockiness does have it's charms."

"Who ever said I was Cocky?"

"I deduced it."

"Oh did you?"

She nodded her lips twitching upwards. "All I had to do was take one look at you."

The way she was grinning, that glint in her eyes; he couldn't utter a word. "My place or yours?"

It was the shock of the words, the abrutness, how quickly it had happened that brought James back to his senses. "Yours."

He wasn't quite sure the route they took from the Leaky to her apartment. He remembered leaving and that knowing look radiating from Tom made James suspect he was faking that hearing loss. As they turned into an alley, her hand gently tugging him along, he couldn't help himself and he kissed her. Her lips were soft and pliant, wonderful. He felt her shiver.

When they broke apart they kept moving and then she kissed him and he forgot where they were. Breathing heavily they moved steadily on. By the time they reached the building he couldn't take the lack of contact much longer and kissed her the moment they stepped inside. He sucked on her bottom lip the whole way up the stairs. "Should've..." she was struggling to open the door. "Alhomora...Apparated back...much," he slammed the door shut behind them. "easier."

"What..." he mumbled as he cupped her head in his hands. "were we...thinking."

"Don't...Know," she breathed as she helped tug his shirt off and dragged him towards the couch. "Bloody...stupid." She pulled her own shirt over her head and after that there wasn't much talking.

...

He woke up and she wasn't there. Sitting up James rubbed his head and absentmindedly noticed the typewriter sitting on her desk. She was in the kitchen. "Morning," she said cheerfully while scrubbing a mug. He didn't ask her why she wasn't using magic to clean it, he hadn't the chance to. "Don't expect me to cook you any food. _I _don't cook me food."

James grinned. "Luckily, I do cook for me and might be able to make an exception and cook for you too."

Veelma laughed, "Look the man can do something."

"I'll have you know I'm quite useful with my hands."

"I'm well aware."

Laughing James summoned a frying pan and set to work.

...

"What do you mean you don't have a cutting board?"

"I just use the counter."

"No wonder it looks like shit."

"I like my counter, it has character."

"Character is just a disguise for looks like shit."

"You have character Potter."

"You shouldn't insult me I might never sleep with you again."

"Yes you will."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Didn't I tell you, I'm a closet seer." James was effectively distracted by her hands on his hips.

He smelt smoke. "Shit it's burning."

...

"Stay away from me."

She was pouting.

"At this rate we'll never eat breakfast, I've burnt three omelets already...Who burns omelets."

"I do, every time, it's why I don't cook."

"You have to stand in the corner and keep your hands to yourself."

"You don't tell me what to do."

"Do you want me to go through all of your eggs?"

"Yes."

James sighed.

"You're hilarious when you actually take something seriously."

"No I'm not."

"Mr. Cocky I'm afraid your a prude."

"_I'm _a prude," James said in disbelief.

"It's just something about cooking that makes you..." Veelma squealed as he picked her up. "Get in touch with your feminine..."

"You, Veelma, are sexist."

"You think it'd be the other way around." She was giggling madly.

"What is it?"

"The Omelet...It's smoking again."

"Merlin's Balls!"

…

"You officially have no more eggs left and I refuse to cook."

Veelma laughed. "It's fine I just realized I have to meet my mother for brunch anyway."

"Are you always doing something?"

"Yes," she smirked. "Why don't you come with me?"

James eyes widened,"Would that be..."

"She'll be okay with it, I'll be okay with it."

"This isn't too...fast for you?"

Veelma shrugged, "I don't think it matters all that much really how quick or how slow a relationship goes."

"That's a crap philosophy."

"What can I say I'm a shit philosopher."

She had him hook, line and sinker.

…

James was nervous. How couldn't he be when this was only the second time he'd ran into this girl, when he was wearing the same mediocre cloths he was wearing last night, when he would be thinking about all the things he'd been doing with her last night and her mother would be sitting there just across the table. Merlin he was nervous.

Had it been any other girl, James contemplated as they ran through the streets laughing, he would've backed off the moment she mentioned a relationship let alone invited him to brunch with her mother. Had it been any other girl James wouldn't have given a damn. He wondered if this was how Scorpious had felt about Rose. He wondered if that feeling that seemed to be consuming James was the same feeling that had prompted Scorpious to continue trying to be with his cousin even when James' Uncle was hell bent on murdering the boy. That feeling, it really made one reckless.

She didn't look perfect this morning. Her hair wasn't pristinely styled like it had been in the Leaky, Her makeup (which James assumed she'd left on over night, he didn't know a thing about makeup) was smudged around her eyes and he clothing was a bit rumpled. He didn't think he'd seen anything that had attracted him more.

"It's right over here," she muttered. He pulled her back and put his lips to her neck. "James!" she hissed. He ran his hands through her hair. "James! Knock it off! I can't show up to brunch with a hickey."

"Says who?"

"James! I'm serious!"

Regretfully he pulled away given her a lopsided grin. She rolled her eyes and shoved him off. "Tell me, is there a mark?"

James grinned sheepishly and nodded.

"You bloody prick!" She swat at him. "She'll definitely ask about that when you've left."

"Not while I'm there?"

"She's too concerned with appearances, she'll be civil."

"Then shall we," James motioned to the street.

"You're an idiot." And she pulled him along.

It was a restaurant that James had never been too (his family tended to avoid them like the plague) called De Fluerette. His Aunt would be honored. It had a patio with multiple tables out in the open. "Mum!" Veelma shouted.

An elderly woman dressed in ridiculously fancy robes and a garish hat stood up waving them over. Veelma dragged him along, his heart pounded in his chest. "Mum! I've brought..."

But James couldn't hear the rest because the woman, impossibly, he recognized her. It was funny after all this time he had never inquired for Veelma's last name.

"Isn't that right James? James?"

James looked at her and pulled away. "Veelma Skeeter...Your name is Veelma Skeeter." Of course it all made sense why he'd liked her so much. The shameless flirting in the coffee shoppe. His interests had been discussed fully. She never revealed a thing about herself. Stepping on his shoelace, it had never been an accident.

"Oh! Look what you've brought here Veelma! James Sirius Potter! Yes of course, he's excellent News material! He hasn't had a spread to himself yet in Witch Weekly, way to beat them to the punch! An exclusive straight from him, why it'll get you to the top of the..."

James took a staggering step back. "James I swear I didn't..." He looked at Veelma, she'd gone pale. It didn't suit her.

"James listen to me..." So quick, no wonder it had gone so quick.

"Listen to you," James snorted. "Honestly. You cruel bitch, you conniving evil little..."

"If you would just listen to me."

She had known who he was, the entire time while he'd been in the dark. Hadn't she slipped up, in the kitchen, when she said he had character? She had known and it had all been for the story.

"I don't want to listen to you Veelma, I'm leaving."

He was starting to walk away when she grabbed onto his arm. "Jesus Christ James would you just let me explain? If I really was some sleazy reporter would I..."

He thought of the typewriter that was sitting on her desk. He shook his head, "No." He reached for his wand and dissaparted on the spot.

When he opened his eyes he was standing in his mother's kitchen the woman in question was coming into the room. "So help me Hugo if you track one more ounce of mud in here I will flay you...Oh hello dear."

"Mum," James said.

"I didn't expect you home dear otherwise I would've cleaned up a bit, made you lunch or something."

"Is dad here?" James asked ignoring his mother's statement.

"What's wrong honey?"

"Mum, is dad here?"

"No, he's at the office but I can floo him if you..."

"No, no, I've changed my mind where's Al?"

"James honey you can talk..."

"Mum, no offense, I love you really, but it's a guy issue."

His mother sighed and pointed at Albus' room. "Writing love letters to Neville's daughter I suspect."

James bounded up the stairs and pounded on his brother's door. "Bloody hell Hugo what do you want, Mum's already told you...Oh, James. What're you doing here?" Albus asked.

James stepped into Albus' room and plopped himself down on his desk chair. "Are you writing love letters to Gillian Longbottom?"

"What? No! Why would I do that?"

"Nothing, it's just something Mum said."

"Mum's been pushing me to go out with Gillian for weeks now. We're just friends."

"That's what Scorpious and Rose said too."

"That's different, everyone knew they'd been fighting because they had it bad for each other."

"And you and Gillian don't?"

"Gillian and I don't fight."

"See you're perfect for each other, fighting is no basis for a relationship."

Albus sighed and shutting the door sat down on his bed. "Why are you here? Because if it's just to take the mickey out of me about Gillian then I will hex you."

"No it's not, that'd be stupid to come here just for that." James sighed, his anger had been simmering down ever since he'd started talking to his brother. He would've talked to his mother but she had a way of making one angry. If he'd talked to her he might have ended up confronting Veelma about it.

"Speak up then. I haven't got all day."

"Right there's Gillian to attend to."

"Shut up no there isn't."

"You're taking this a bit personally."

"Stop trying to turn this on me and just say what you came here to say."

"I...uh...I met a girl."

"Well good for you."

"And she's great, she was really, really great."

"What did she turn out to be crazy?"

James ended up telling him the whole story, the coffee shoppe with the perfectly tailored conversation, the intensity of the bar, how brilliant that night had been, the morning, and how the whole time she'd been doing it for a news story. Albus whistled and was silent for several moments before saying, "Sounds like a bitch to me James."

James nodded his head, "I know that."

"Honestly you should give her a piece of your..."

"Albus your not helping you're suppose to be the level headed one."

"True I'm screwing up my role aren't I? You however have yours down pat."

"You sound like an old person."

"Maybe you should have talked to dad."

"I already know what he would tell me. Why did you sleep with someone whose last name you don't know?"

"You've slept with plenty girls whose first names you don't know."

"No I haven't!" James said indignantly. "I always know their names at the time. It's just when I wake up that I don't remember their names."

"You're a dick. Maybe this is karma. Make a man fall in love and then make the girl a bitch."

"I didn't fall in love."

"Oh yeah? Cooking for her James really? You fell hard and fast."

"It's been months since I first met her."

"Doesn't matter you've only met her twice."

"You're no help at all Albus."

"Who gave me the title of advice giver? I give horrible advice!"

"I wasn't even asking you for advice."

"See I don't even know when I need to give advice. I'm that terrible of an advice giver."

James laughed. "You're a twat."

"No so more than you."

James shrugged then sighed. "I'll get over it."

"Of course you will, she's just a girl."

If it was any other girl he would get over her.

* * *

**fin**


End file.
